An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

An ear nose and throat (ENT) imaging and analysis system includes an endoscope usable to capture images of the nasal canal and other aspects of patient anatomy. Endoscopic images may be presented to a user via a touchscreen display, and the software may provide different imaging modes that aid in identifying particular anatomical structures or areas within the nasal canal. In one mode, the system uses an object recognition process to identify the nasal valve opening within the images at a relaxed state, and during forceful inhalation, and then calculates the difference between the two states, which may be suggestive of nasal valve collapse. In other modes, the system is configured to identify abnormalities of the inferior turbinate, septum, or other anatomy, as well as empty spaces within the nasal canal, as well as areas and volumes of empty space and user defined boundaries.

An ear nose and throat (ENT) imaging and analysis system includes an endoscope usable to capture images of the nasal canal and other aspects of patient anatomy. Endoscopic images may be presented to a user via a touchscreen display, and the software may provide different imaging modes that aid in identifying particular anatomical structures or areas within the nasal canal. In one mode, the system uses an object recognition process to identify the nasal valve opening within the images at a relaxed state, and during forceful inhalation, and then calculates the difference between the two states, which may be suggestive of nasal valve collapse. In other modes, the system is configured to identify abnormalities of the inferior turbinate, septum, or other anatomy, as well as empty spaces within the nasal canal, as well as areas and volumes of empty space and user defined boundaries.

A wireless camera system includes a wireless camera for use in endoscopic procedures. The wireless camera can releasably couple with an endoscope (e.g., with a cordless disposable endoscope). The wireless camera can wirelessly transmit data to a controller, which can provide data output (e.g., snapshot images, video recording captured by the wireless camera) to an electronic display and to one or more data outputs (e.g., USB drive or other portable memory stick, to a remote computer or computer network, hard disk, compact flash drive, email, etc.).

An imaging element includes: a pixel board including a light receiver including plural pixels, each pixel being configured to generate an imaging signal; a circuit board including a functional circuit, the pixel board being layered on the circuit board; plural wiring portions configured to electrically connect the pixel board and the circuit board to each other and electrically transmit signals between respective layers; a terminal provided on the circuit board, the terminal being electrically connected to each of the plural wiring portions, the terminal being configured to output the imaging signal to an outside of the terminal or receive an external signal from the outside of the terminal; and a switch configured to output, by selective switching, at least one of the imaging signal and an internal signal generated at the circuit board, to the terminal.

An endoscope system sequentially acquires a plurality of endoscopic images by continuously imaging an observation target. A recognition processing unit detects, from the acquired endoscopic images, regions including a lesion portion as regions-of-interest. A recognition result correction unit corrects a position of the region-of-interest of the specific image by using a position of the region-of-interest of a previous image acquired before the specific image and a position of the region-of-interest of a subsequent image acquired after the specific image.

A medical system that includes a shaft having a distal end configured to be positioned at a target site, a first light and a second light positioned at the distal end, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the first and second light. The computing device includes a processor and non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine a first illumination measurement of a first region of the target site by the first light and a second illumination measurement of a second region of the target site by the second light. The second region is different than the first region. The processor adjusts emittance from the first light, in response to the first illumination measurement being different than a first threshold, and emittance from the second light in response to the second illumination measurement being different than a second threshold.

A medical system that includes a shaft having a distal end configured to be positioned at a target site, a first light and a second light positioned at the distal end, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the first and second light. The computing device includes a processor and non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine a first illumination measurement of a first region of the target site by the first light and a second illumination measurement of a second region of the target site by the second light. The second region is different than the first region. The processor adjusts emittance from the first light, in response to the first illumination measurement being different than a first threshold, and emittance from the second light in response to the second illumination measurement being different than a second threshold.

An endoscope processor allows the user to easily confirm the setting state of functions. The endoscope processor includes: a processor executing program code to perform: displaying, by the processor, on a touch panel a plurality of custom buttons each having a function description section describing a function operable by a user and a state section indicating a state of the function; and accepting, by the processor, an operation performed on the custom buttons displayed. The function description section includes an icon section illustrating the function and a name section indicating a name of the function in text form.